WAFL Second Semi Finals PreviewSaturday, September 10, 2016 - 9:51 PM - by Chris Pike

A SPOT in the 2016 WAFL Grand Final goes on the line on Sunday when Subiaco enters the AHG Finals Series taking on South Fremantle in the second semi-final at Medibank Stadium.

Subiaco has won the last two WAFL premierships and had the break in the first week of the finals after a second straight minor premiership. The Lions now host a South Fremantle team who finished second and won last week's qualifying final in this Sunday's second semi-final at Medibank Stadium.

The winner advances to the 2016 WAFL Grand Final at Domain Stadium while the loser will host a preliminary final next Sunday against the winner of the first semi-final between West Perth and Peel Thunder at HBF Arena.

Meanwhile, the minor grade second semi-final matches will take place at HBF Arena with Perth playing Claremont in the colts and East Perth taking on Claremont in the reserves.

LEAGUE SECOND SEMI-FINAL
SUBIACO v SOUTH FREMANTLE, MEDIBANK STADIUM, SUNDAY 3.10PM
Selected teams 
Broadcast – Channel 7, 720 ABC Perth

There couldn’t be a greater contrast in game style or finals experience between Subiaco and South Fremantle heading into Sunday's second semi-final at Medibank Stadium but that only adds to the intrigue heading into the contest.

With a spot in the grand final on the line, Subiaco puts its defensively minded, physical game approach into gear on the back of the experience of having won the last two premierships.

Meanwhile, South Fremantle is playing its first finals campaign since 2011 and had 16 finals debutants last Saturday in the 52-point qualifying final win over West Perth.

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The Bulldogs might not have the finals experience of Subiaco but they play an exciting, hard running and attacking brand of football that is designed to give their potent forward-line featuring Ben Saunders, Mason Shaw, Blaine Johnson, Tyson Pickett and Haiden Schloithe every chance to put a winning score on the board.

Subiaco has a group that is made for hard, contested finals football and it has proven successful the past two years but the youth and exuberance of South Fremantle proved too much last week for a finals experienced West Perth last week and the Bulldogs now will be hoping it stands up again.

While South Fremantle's forward-line has been dynamic all season with the Bulldogs averaging a league best 91 points a game, Subiaco's back-line has been dominant led by Declan Jackson, Aaron Heal, Jordan Lockyer, Greg Broughton, Wayde Twomey and Daniel Leishman.

Subiaco conceded just 63 points a game this season to be far and away the leading defensive team in the WAFL. Only twice this season did a team score more than 11 goals against the Lions and that was in an 80-point loss to East Fremantle and then a win over Peel Thunder.

South Fremantle might have averaged over 13 goals a game and then kicked 18 in last Saturday's qualifying final win.

But against Subiaco in Round 7 the Bulldogs managed just 10 goals in a 31-point loss and then just eight goals in a Thursday night game in Round 18 that Subiaco won by 11 points.

Subiaco is the only team that South Fremantle has not beaten in the last two seasons with Todd Curley coach of the Bulldogs.

Subiaco beat South Fremantle three times in 2015 by 89, 22 and 44 points before then winning by 31 and 11 points in the two meetings this year.

South Fremantle has missed finals since losing to Subiaco in the first semi-final of 2011 also at Medibank Stadium by 85 points.
    
Sunday will be South Fremantle's first second semi-final appearance since 2009 when the Bulldogs beat Subiaco by 70 points and then beating the Lions again in the grand final by 18.

That was South Fremantle's last finals win before last week against West Perth while since then Subiaco made the grand final of 2011, and has won premierships in 2014 and 2015.

Subiaco's back-line might have been tremendous all season, but the Lions have also done enough in attack largely on the back of having a key focal point in Hamish Shepheard (51 goals) and emergence of excitement machine Liam Ryan (35).

The Bulldogs' back-line can't be sneezed at either with Josh Pullman and Blayne Wilson the talls with Chris Luff coming back into contention this week. Marlion Pickett has had the best season of his career while Jason Maskos and Matthew Gundry work hard.

The ruck battle will be fascinating with Subiaco to back in the returning Lachlan Delahunty with help from Clancy Wheeler up against South Fremantle workhorse Brock Higgins.

South Fremantle will sorely miss the suspended Ashton Hams but has Tim Kelly, Shane Hockey, Steven Verrier, Dylan Main, Brendan Verrier and Shaun Bewick to work hard through the middle opposed to Chris Phelan, Kyal Horsley, Leigh Kitchin, Craig Hoskins and Adam Cockie.

Subiaco had the bye in Round 23 and then the break in the first week of the finals so its last match was back in Round 22 when the Lions came from behind to beat Peel Thunder in Mandurah.

But that day Subiaco went in without captain Horsley and Phelan with Delahunty and Hayden Kennedy still out injured.

Horsley and Phelan are automatic inclusions now to take on South Fremantle on Sunday while Delahunty appears to be as well to play his first game since Round 13.

Premiership small defender Kennedy proved his form and fitness in the reserves last week as well so looks set to return from a shoulder injury for his first game since Round 10 as well for Subiaco.

Dangerous forward Ben Sokol is another to come into selection consideration for the Lions particularly after kicking a career-best seven goals in Round 7 against his former South Fremantle team.
South Fremantle could hardly have been more impressive in beating West Perth by 52 points last Saturday in the qualifying final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

But the Bulldogs to lose Ashton Hams through suspension from that team who had 26 possessions and three goals. Veteran Adam Guglielmana proved his form and fitness in the reserves on return from a hamstring injury and looks set to be the natural replacement.

Steven Edwards is another who would still be hoping to break into the Bulldogs line-up while Chris Luff and Tom Vandeleur could come into calculations to add some added strength to the back-line.

RESERVES SECOND SEMI-FINAL
EAST PERTH v CLAREMONT – HBF ARENA, SUNDAY 11.30AM
Selected teams 

East Perth's reserves had an outstanding season to finish as minor premiers but Claremont is in tremendous form as well setting up what should be a terrific second semi-final at HBF Arena on Sunday.

One of the Royals or Tigers will book a place in the reserves grand final for 2016 by winning at the Joondalup venue on Sunday.

The loser will advance to the preliminary final to take on the winner of Sunday's first semi-final between South Fremantle and East Fremantle at Medibank Stadium.

East Perth won its last four matches of the season to secure the reserves minor premiership with a 16-4 record to be just one game and percentage ahead of Claremont.

That meant East Perth had the bye in the first week of the finals while Claremont took on South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The Tigers got over the Bulldogs by nine points to now book a match up with the Royals this Sunday with a grand final spot on the line.

East Perth might have won its last four games but its last defeat was at the hands of Claremont in Round 18 at the Claremont Showground when the Tigers won by 27 points.

East Perth's side will be further strengthened on Sunday with the presence of Tom Gorter, Callum Hart, Shayne Hille, Mitch Lague, Will Maginness and Jordan Snadden who all played last Sunday in the league's side 49-point defeat to Peel Thunder at Bendigo Bank Stadium.

On top of that, 104-game fairest and best winning wingman Steven Payne will also be playing for East Perth along with the talented Matthew Allen, Julian Ameduri, Tom Hodgson, Tom Omodei, David Roche and Simon Tunbridge.

Claremont isn’t short on talent either having impressed beating the reigning premier South Fremantle last Saturday despite a goalless first quarter. The Tigers kicked nine goals to four from that point on to end up winning by nine points.

Jack Richardson, Dylan Ross, Tom Shanahan, Ian Rowe, Morgan Davies, Francis Watson, Ben Higgs, Justin Speed, John Williams, Cameron Palmer, Zac Langdon, Gerrick Weedon and Alexander Manuel all played in last week's win over the Bulldogs.

Each of those players have league experience and have proven they can perform at the level including Shanahan who joined Claremont this season from East Perth having been unable to earn a regular league berth in the midfield with the Royals.

RESERVES SECOND SEMI-FINAL
EAST PERTH v CLAREMONT – HBF ARENA, SUNDAY 11.30AM
Selected teams http://www.wafl.com.au/games/view/10893

East Perth's reserves had an outstanding season to finish as minor premiers but Claremont is in tremendous form as well setting up what should be a terrific second semi-final at HBF Arena on Sunday.

One of the Royals or Tigers will book a place in the reserves grand final for 2016 by winning at the Joondalup venue on Sunday.

The loser will advance to the preliminary final to take on the winner of Sunday's first semi-final between South Fremantle and East Fremantle at Medibank Stadium.

East Perth won its last four matches of the season to secure the reserves minor premiership with a 16-4 record to be just one game and percentage ahead of Claremont.

That meant East Perth had the bye in the first week of the finals while Claremont took on South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The Tigers got over the Bulldogs by nine points to now book a match up with the Royals this Sunday with a grand final spot on the line.

East Perth might have won its last four games but its last defeat was at the hands of Claremont in Round 18 at the Claremont Showground when the Tigers won by 27 points.

East Perth's side will be further strengthened on Sunday with the presence of Tom Gorter, Callum Hart, Shayne Hille, Mitch Lague, Will Maginness and Jordan Snadden who all played last Sunday in the league's side 49-point defeat to Peel Thunder at Bendigo Bank Stadium.

On top of that, 104-game fairest and best winning wingman Steven Payne will also be playing for East Perth along with the talented Matthew Allen, Julian Ameduri, Tom Hodgson, Tom Omodei, David Roche and Simon Tunbridge.

Claremont isn’t short on talent either having impressed beating the reigning premier South Fremantle last Saturday despite a goalless first quarter. The Tigers kicked nine goals to four from that point on to end up winning by nine points.

Jack Richardson, Dylan Ross, Tom Shanahan, Ian Rowe, Morgan Davies, Francis Watson, Ben Higgs, Justin Speed, John Williams, Cameron Palmer, Zac Langdon, Gerrick Weedon and Alexander Manuel all played in last week's win over the Bulldogs.

Each of those players have league experience and have proven they can perform at the level including Shanahan who joined Claremont this season from East Perth having been unable to earn a regular league berth in the midfield with the Royals.

REDiMED COLTS SECOND SEMI-FINAL
PERTH v CLAREMONT – HBF ARENA, SUNDAY 9.00AM
Selected teams 

Claremont is attempting to qualify for a fourth straight WAFL colts grand final but standing in the way is a Perth team who finished on top of the ladder leading into this Sunday's second semi-final at HBF Arena.

The Demons and Tigers do battle in Sunday morning's second semi-final at the Joondalup venue with the winner to advance straight to the 2016 WAFL colts grand final at Domain Stadium.

Meanwhile, the loser will move into the preliminary final next Sunday to play the winner of the first semi-final contest between South Fremantle and East Perth at Medibank Stadium.

Perth ended up finishing on top of the ladder thanks to a dominant Round 23 win over South Fremantle that saw the Demons finish with a 16-4 record to earn a break in the opening week of the finals.

Claremont finished second just one game behind Perth which saw the Tigers take on South Fremantle in a qualifying final last Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Claremont proved too strong for the Bulldogs winning by 32 points to advance to the second semi-final to be one win away from a fourth straight grand final.

The Tigers won colts premierships in 2013 and 2015 while losing the grand final to Swan Districts in 2014.

Claremont's colts continue to be the trendsetters in the WAFL having won 14 premierships since 1976 and three of the last seven. Now a win over Perth on Saturday and the Tigers are through to another grand final.

But the Demons have had a strong season and will be looking to bring some silverware back to Lathlain Park in 2016.

Arnold Punch, Cody Ninyette, John Levien, Joseph Ugle, Chris Leonard, Thomas Gooch, James Bereyne, Cody Kickett and Gordon Narrier are among Perth's impressive colts players who will be in action in Sunday's second semi-final.

Claremont's colts were impressive beating South Fremantle last Saturday with a team featuring Bailey Banfield, Matt Guelfi and Jake Waterman who played league football late in the season.

Banfield had 32 possessions, Guelfi 19 disposals and Waterman 16 to go with six marks and a goal.

Sam Petrevski-Seton was also dominant with 25 possessions with Jacob Sideris, Josh Bennett, Jack Blaauw and ruckman Jeremy Goddard among the other Tigers who had significant impacts in the result.